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The Honda Shadow Phantom sports a blacked-out retro-meets-new look for 2010. No shiny chrome and we like it.

The Honda Shadow has always been an attractive yet conservative entry-level cruiser, a wallflower in the V-twin world. This is no longer the case with the 2010 Shadow Phantom. Breaking free of the cookie-cutter styling of its brethren, the latest cruiser from Honda sports Rat Rod-looks. Custom styling off the showroom floor, coupled with Honda reliability, makes the Phantom an attractive option for riders looking for serious style on the cheap. And in this day and age, having the best of both worlds is always appealing.

Based on the tried-and-true Shadow platform, the Phantom shares many of the features that have made the small-range V-Twin a top choice for entry-level cruisers. The engine is the same 52-degree, 745cc mill used in the Shadow Aero and Spirit. However, the new bad boy in the family now has fuel injection to help bump up the power. Honda ditched the single 34mm constant velocity carburetor for a 34mm fuel injected throttle body with an automatic enrichment circuit.

Thanks to the new fuel injection system, the Phantom fires easily when the starter button is thumbed. The fuel mapping is excellent and silky smooth. On- and off-throttle shenanigans do little to upset the perfect fuel delivery. The newly injected motor puts out a decent spread of power, my seat-

Polished and chrome bits are kept to a minimum, though the Honda Phantom still commands attention wherever it goes.

of-the-pants dyno telling me it will easily run with the larger 850cc and 900cc machines offered by Honda’s competitors – just don’t tell their owners. Never was I left wanting or needing more power. The Phantom has plenty of beans to make everything from freeway sailing to around-town stoplight cruising enjoyable.

Although the new fuel injection is big news for this cruiser, the biggest eye-opener in my book is the styling. The Honda Shadow line has always been decent looking but safely styled, sometimes to a fault. The Aero and Sprit lack an edgy look that I personally feel cruisers need. Let’s be honest, you don’t ride most cruisers for the performance; they look cool and you don’t have to be a contortionist to log serious miles on them. The Shadows have always had the comfort in spades, but the cool factor was not there.

This new Phantom, however, looks like a genuine bad ass. Black wheels and matte grey finish on most of the bikes parts give a nod to the backyard hot rodders of days gone by. I’ve wanted to ride this bike since I first laid eyes on it months ago at the motorcycle show simply because it looks so cool. Of the many cruisers we’ve ridden in the past few years, I’ve got to stay the entry-level Honda dark horse got more comments from strangers than many before it. With the Phantom, Honda has done Hot Rod better than most American cruisers made, and that’s saying a lot from a metric cruiser.

Not stopping with just some flat paint and black wheels, Honda has bobbed the fenders, lowered the ride, bent up some new bars and spooned on a set of fatty meats; the 120/90-17 front tire sits under a small front fender making it look

The new Shadow offers a comfortable seating position with one's legs slightly more forward and the rider more upright as a result.

even larger, while tucked under the chopped rear fender is a 160-series rear bun.

A gun-fighter style seat sits just 25.7 inches off the ground, making the reach to terra firma easy for those of nearly any inseam. You feel as if you are sitting in the bike as opposed to on top of it, bolstering confidence in the corners. The slightly forward pegs give a natural seating position that is comfortable for both long stints in the saddle as well as quick jaunts to the convenience store. The matte-black bars have a comfortable sweep and are an easy reach from the seat for all height riders; at 5-ft 10-in it was a breeze for myself, while Road Test Editor Adam Waheed, sitting well over 6-ft, was perfectly at home. Lever positioning and shape is typical Honda top notch, with equally good fit and finish.

In the handling department the Phantom performs admirably for a cruiser, though has some shortcomings for larger riders. The single 296mm front rotor squeezed by a twin piston caliper has excellent feel and more than enough stopping power for a bike of this size. The rear drum works as well as anyone can ask for a unit designed decades ago. Suspension duties are handled by a non-adjustable 41mm fork up front and dual five-way preload-adjustable shocks out back.

(Above) Powering the Phantom is a 745cc fuel-injected V-Twin engine. (Bottom) A single disc with dual piston caliper up front and a rear drum out back do well to bring the Phantom to a stop.

Unfortunately, here is where the Phantom falls a bit short for me. The 4.6 inches and 3.5 inches of suspension travel, respectively, is too softly sprung for my 225 lb-frame, and dampened even worse. The suspension blows through the stroke easily, causing it to rebound much too quickly. This gives a jarring ride down any road, no matter the county or state. Adding more rear preload doesn’t help the situation much. In fact, on the bigger bumps it makes things worse, causing the rear to rebound even quicker. I am probably heavier than the intended Phantom buyer, thus the harsh suspension should be better for those of the more ‘featherweight’ kind in most situations.

Despite the suspension’s relatively poor comfort performance, the Phantom handles the corners with a composure not seen in many ‘small’ cruisers. Bending the long and low cruiser into a corner takes the slightest effort. Once in the corner, the handling is neutral and predictable, provided there are no large bumps to upset the chassis. Road feel through the tires is excellent and you always know exactly where you stand in the traction department.

Ground clearance is standard fare for low cruisers, so long as you keep it at a leisurely pace. The folding footpegs touch down in the tightest corners, and when they do it doesn’t upset the chassis much at all. During photo passes at the top secret MotoUSA proving ground, we scraped the pegs over and over but never had a problem with fixed parts coming in contact with the asphalt, which is where the real problems could start. Thankfully on the Phantom there’s no such concern.

The end of my testing days came quickly, and to be honest, I was actually a little disappointed to give the new ride back. After hopping on a different cruiser later that day, I realized just how good the Honda Shadow

Are the Phantom's stealthly new looks and quality fit-and-finish worth the extra greenbacks? Stay tuned to find out in our upcoming shootout!

Phantom really is. At $7999, it’s an excellent choice for anyone looking for a smaller bike with a big, trendy feel. Spot-on fuel injection, a comfortable ride, and the best cruiser bars I’ve held onto in a long time create one sweet ride. But to be one-hundred percent honest, I like the Phantom mostly because it looks downright bad ass, making smaller cruisers cool once again!

The Phantom may cost $1000 more than some of its stable mates, so the real question becomes: Is it worth the extra cash? The true tale will soon be coming to Motorcycle-USA.com with our mid-level multi-bike cruiser shootout that is currently in the works. So be sure to stay tuned!

CHRIS CYPRUS
-HARLEY DAVINDSON
November 5, 2010 09:29 AM
Hi guys I am interest in both bikes....the Honda shadow and the HD fat street bob....I want to know which one is more durable...OK there both nice bikes .I want something durable that will not cost me to much to service and keep it good condition...Any serious advice will be appreciated

DJ FLIP
-BLA BLA BLA
July 26, 2010 08:28 PM
My Phantom was the first sold in Miami Dade County. At the meets I park humbly at the back of the crowd but tend to get a lot of interested parties staring at the ride. I dont know what brands are better or whatever is going after this comment but I really love my Phantom and hope to get plenty of years of enjoyment. Chicks like it too. Dont tell my wife. Happy and Safe Riding whatever it is you ride. Bless.

Outspan
-mrs
May 11, 2010 02:33 PM
Lady rider rides a custom dragstar.Living in IOM I have just purchased a honda phantom and am soooo looking forward to riding it. Here's a message to all women get two wheels and ride. It is fab happy riding all.

Blackone
-Not bad at all
February 4, 2010 12:35 PM
...One more thing that may help you or whoever on the fence...
I have been torn between vstar950 and this 750 phantom. At first I intended to purchase vstar950 then mod it to have a bad ass look.
but then Phantom came :))
To me, if you want a bike for more value and comfy for long trip, the vstar950T $8600 OTD, for the bad-ass look ? the phantom
Just my 2 cents

Blackone
-Not bad at all
February 4, 2010 12:12 PM
I bought one last weekend, 20 miles on highway home with this Phantom to verify that I got the right one (for me) as a third bike for local, and short hwy trip. I am 5'5" 155lb ,with the low seating; the light, easy clutch pull is a joy for running errand with this 750cc bike. Came from vstar1300cc; I feel it's at least 800cc-900cc. Power band is so smooth while shifting. No jerking at low speed.
For more comfy freeway riding with 65-70 mph
I will eventually add windshield, pullback handlebar. The seat is OK
If you know its limitation, and @ $8100 OTD is not bad at all.

Canucker
-In response to Holmes
February 4, 2010 10:13 AM
The review even stated that when we was refering to this bike keeping up with the M50 vulcan 900 and v star 950, he stated that it was because of the all new Fuel Injection that Honda has that it is now capable of keeping up with that group, which I fully agree with.

I havn't ridden it yet but I guarentee it will be able to stay with the big boys obviously 150CC power is going to be noticable but it's definatly not a deal breaker when considering the bikes.

Kent
-1100 shadow to Street Bob
January 31, 2010 05:32 PM
A little bit of the pipe debate here. I don't think that anyone who has ridden a bike with both regular and louder pipes hasn't noticed a difference about people pulling out in front of them. Sound follows you? Give me a break. Problem is, some of the people that get these pipes have no respect for others. While I do admit it is hard not to crack the throttle to hear your $2000 pipe upgrade, other people do not appreciate this in residential areas. Keep the loudness on the highway. I have a 1100 Shadow Spirit that I have customized to look like a bobber and now I am ready to sell it and by the genuine Harley Davidson Street Bob. Guess what...both bikes are great, and so are the other brands. So stop arguing already!

Eyes open
-dark custom?
January 26, 2010 05:06 PM
Cool little bike... an attempt to piggy back on Harley's style... but that's just what happens in the cut throat business world...

David
-Noise
January 22, 2010 03:45 PM
I know what you mean by these guys and their lifestyle. There are a couple small towns here in Illinois that have a no Harley law believe it or not. The ignorant people caused this and some dislike all motorcycles because of it.

When I have to turn up the volume on my TV because some idiot is accelerating down the road is ridiculous. On top of that it's all noise and little go for the effort.

I don't mean to put this lifestyle down but they are doing it to themselves.

Sandi
-Wow!
January 22, 2010 12:50 PM
First off, I can't believe all the negativity! I just got a 2010 Phantom and I love it. I really like Honda and think they make a great product. That doesn't mean that anyone who rides another brand is wrong, bad, dumb, etc. Remember why you ride in the first place - it's an absolute BLAST!

Real World
-Hardley Bashing
January 22, 2010 05:13 AM
99.9% of the pin heads riding around without a muffler trying to impress everyone and showing off are "Harley Riders". Now wonder there is some animosity towards the HD brand. The public in general is getting tired of these clowns running around making noise with no other reason that to show off. Cities around the country are enacting a noise ordinance because of these morons. I have an aftermarket can on my Guzzi and I will now have to remove it a put the stock can on. It is not much louder than the stock can but we now have an ordinance requiring only stock mufflers on any motor vehicle. Construction type vehicles etc are exempt. The Harley bunch were at the city council meetings dressed up like the village people (which did not help them) proclaiming loud pipes save lives. That was put down real fast by as noise follows a vehicle. Anyway, the Harley guys will now have to show off with stock mufflers now. The Harley dealer should be real happy as he can now sell these morons there original mufflers back that he took off when he sold them the loud mufflers.

sololobo
-Knows better? NOT
January 21, 2010 07:31 PM
knows better? obviously not. There is no one on this planet that is more deserving of the title "Hardley Rider" than guys like you. I have never met anyone in person that stands around talking crap like a school yard bully like you and your pin head friends, and I've been riding for 40 years. We are all way too busy getting out and riding around and having fun to give a crap what the other guy is riding. I'm starting to think guys like you only exist in print, or your shakin way too hard when real riders are around to say anything. 99.9% of the guys out here, regardless of what they ride, would love a chance to give a "Hardly Rider" like you a swift kick in the rump.

Knows Better
-Lets not discriminate
January 21, 2010 01:08 PM
Yea, lets quit bashing Hardleys'. Just because some people are not as intelligent as everybody else and do not know any better when they buy a Hardley then we should not make fun of them. Lets not discriminate against Hardley riders as they probably do not know any better. Lets just keep quit and pretend they have a nice modern up to date bike and not an overpriced, overweight oops......

jeff
-mean streak
January 20, 2010 04:06 PM
I have been riding a 07 shadow and I am really interested in the kawasaki mean streak. Any thoughts about this bike from anyone?

Dave
-Hardley
January 20, 2010 03:27 PM
Harley copied looks from Indian's. When I think of an American cruiser I think of an Indian, the original American bike.

Woodman
-Response to RJ
January 20, 2010 02:33 PM
RJ, I do not ride a HD, I ride a Star (with HD fenders). My point was not that the dealers are broke. I am pointing out that every year the metrics look more and more like Harleys.

I have ridden metric cruisers since the 70s. I have seen all styles come and go. And you can belive want my friend, here is an undisputable fact. The best selling metric cruisers are the one that look the most like Harleys.

ie: this blike looks like a small, cheap Fatboy Low. The StreetGlide has been a sales leader for 5 years. Here comes the Victory and Star versions. The big new Vulcan Voyager looks just like an Ultra. I would buy one in a minute. Great looking bike!

Most of us old dudes who buy big cruisers have 2 things in common. Style is most important, price is a factor, but not the most important.

If some one offered me 2 bikes to ride, a 70s FL, or a new sport tourer (pick a brand, they all look alike) but I had to ride it for 5 years. I would take the FL. If you gave me a new Goldwing I would ride it one time. To the dealer to trade it for a cruiser.

About the dew rag, I never ride without a helmet. But I am sure glad I live in a state where the government does not make the choice for me!

J. E. "Pete" Peterson
-Harley Bashing
January 20, 2010 12:30 PM
Enough already. I used to ride Harleys, don't anymore because I don't like them. That doesn't mean Harley's aren't any good, the newer ones are some of the best bikes on the road. I just like BMW's better. Doesn't make any difference; motorcycles go, turn, and stop. Period. If the motorcycle feeds your ego, makes you feel good, or gives you pleasure, go for it no matter what brand. They are all good and they are all fun. Just don't let name recognition cloud what could be an otherwise pleasant encounter. Try them all and take your pick.

Sololobo
-for Harley Basher
January 20, 2010 12:00 PM
Harley Basher, What you think, and reality are two very different things for sure. Harley's are not being outclassed. Some may like other brands, but this does not mean their outclassed. To say Harley hasn't changed since the 40's except for new colors and more chrome is all? I can tell just from that you don't know what your talking about. The price? Just like everything else, They are sold for what a dealer needs to make and willing buyer will pay. Plastic is cheeper than chrome I will admit, so is non US labor. No one is forcing anyone to go buy Harley. I have never met a dude that bought a HD without checking out other bikes and doing their research. Most are moving up from a Japanese brand. I also have never met a Harley owner that didn't want a new Harley when they sold the old one. The cheaper resale value is not because guys buy Harleys and are then disappointed with them so they sell them cheep. Duh... There are some great deals on ALL the used bikes now days. Plenty guys loosing their jobs and having to sell their precious motorcycles to feed the family. Plus, I think the last decade saw a glut of guys buying because they thought they would get time, or the urge to go ride. I see like new RoadS tars selling for $5k, and V-Star 1000's for $3500. VTX's way cheep, Boulevards, many great bikes at great prices now. I'm sure some of these Japanese bikes are on the market so that their owners can go buy a used Harley right now also, so relax dude, do some research and don't buy into that hater crowds BS.

Not Want You Think
-Yamaha RoadStar Silverado S
January 20, 2010 06:09 AM
I like the Yamaha Star line and also the Honda cruisers. I rode a Harley on a 60 mile or so loop on a dealer test ride. When I got back my hands and butt were numb from the vibration. The dealer said that I would get used to it and it is a Harley right of passage. Well he can keep his Harley. He also wanted to sell me over $8,500 in extra stuff like loud pipes etc. I rode a Yamaha RoadStar Silverado S the next day and bought it. What a difference. No vibration or noise and it was a lot more comfortable (absolutely no vibration like the Harley) and a much better performer. The dealer was very nice unlike the Harley dealer who liked to use too many cuss words. I am very happy with my cruiser and glad I did not buy the Harley as it clearly was not the bike that I have now. Harley riders all say that everybody copies there Harley. Yes they do and they improve on the Harley. HD seems to sell the same thing every year with no improvements.

RJ
-re; Woodman West
January 20, 2010 06:05 AM
Closing doors at the local level is not an effective measure of anything. It's a mere reflection of the dealerships ability to secure lending to bring in new bikes and sell them out before the credit is owed. It's that financial bubble in the middle that is gone because many lenders are not taking on as much risk. To remain open selling the older bikes skews the profit margin as dealers still have the same fixed operating costs such as electricity, heating costs, salaries, etc. so the lack of income bites them in the end. A fundamental of any business is it needs to trim out poor performance and only the strong survive. In case you're blinded by your dew rag sliding down too far over your eyes, you might notice many HD shops are closing as well. The most important difference here is that poor lending practices from Eagle Credit targeting the sub-prime market places The Motor Company at a much greater operational risk overall not just isolated dealerships closing. From a practicality standpoint, Honda is beginning to place themselves in a much better place for the long term by releasing efficient, middle weight, and durable machines but believe what you want.

Woodman West
-Out o business
January 20, 2010 04:27 AM
I went down to the local Honda shop to check out this bike. Closed due to lack of business. They only carried Honda, Suzuki, Triumph, Ducati and Victory.

I guess not enough of those bikes look like Harleys to sell.

RJ
-2010 Honda Shadow Phantom
January 19, 2010 01:19 PM
Good for Honda. Great looks on an almost solid platform if the suspension was tweaked. It's just too bad Honda cannot figure out how to design a cost competitive suspension on their cruisers that perform better than average. Especially since this is where the press and consumer always seems to complain year after year. We don't need the same dual coils designs mimicking competitors if ride quality has to suffer. Figure it out Mr. Engineer as you can build a MotoGP bike with all kinds of technology... Other than that I think it's a positive addition to their cruiser line up. A liquid cooled Shadow is crotch friendly in the saddle when stuck in beach or commuter traffic. A motor that runs cooler will also extend the life of that motor which can be expected to run hard well >100K miles. The almost maintenance free shaft drive (just change gear oil) means no more worries of puncturing a $300 kevlar belt on a stone driveway or many miles away from home. While most consider the 750 cc underwelhming, with the right rider it will keep up to highway traffic and does come with benefits not always considered by most riders. Less torque means costly tires will last longer and fuel consumption from the Shadow line is always outstanding. Thank God they finally got EFI, only almost a decade later than most competitors. Don't compare this bike to a shortster, unless you have actually ridden one as the chassis is a lot more stable and it's not as top heavy. Glad to see this bike did not fall short of all the loser wanna be's bashing anything non-HD but really there's no argument.

Harley Basher
-Hmmm
January 19, 2010 11:59 AM
I do not think people are Harley bashing. There is are many other motorcycles out there that have a Harley outclassed. HD hasn't changed there product since the 1940's. Just new colors and more chrome. Harley's are just overpriced for what you get and they have terrible resale. If I wanted a Harley I can get a used one real cheap as the local papers are full of them. I think people buy one without looking around and then find out what they got so they want to get rid of them. Personally, I would never buy a Harley but that is just my opinion. Harley sells a lot of bikes so there are a lot of suckers out there.

Matt
-Not bad.
January 19, 2010 11:31 AM
Was hoping to see a serious bagger from Honda this year but it was about time the shadow got EFI. Like the new polished/black look, But is hoping they come out with some competition to the Nomad & Cross Roads soon.

Chipd
-Hmmm
January 19, 2010 11:30 AM
All this Harley bashing is silly. I've had several makes of bikes in over 35 years and who know miles and I liked and dislike some parts all of them for various reasons. I currently own a superglide and I love it. It's been among the most reliable of all bikes I've owned. I think HD has been able to retain its history while updating tech. As far as dealers go, I agree there are some shitty ones. But, its ultimately up to you what you do with the bike. BTW, I had the FIRST Honda Shadow! I loved that one as well!

NoseMan
-M50
January 19, 2010 09:12 AM
The Suzuki M50 is a nice bike. The local Suzuki dealer is also a Harley dealer so when you go in to look at a Suzuki they give you the bums rush. I really do not know why they handle Suzuki if they do not want to sell them. I am going to take a little trip to the next dealer this Saturday to check out the Suzuki line up. I also heard that Suzuki is not importing any 2010 bikes to the U.S. Does anyone know if this is true?

Cogito
-Underwhelmed
January 19, 2010 07:50 AM
The Suzuki M50 is a better deal. $200 less expensive and a class leading engine to boot!

Gerard
-Not New
January 19, 2010 07:23 AM
It's a nice ride, but I'll keep on riding my '39 (yes daily)--will this be around in 70 years?

Mojave
-OK
January 19, 2010 07:18 AM
Guess I'm underwhelmed. Looks to be a decent bike to pick up used for $3K in a few years - put a decent pair of shocks on it and Racetech the forks... and it would be an OK import bobber if you can take the sound of the exhaust.

So what is the acceleration performance of these bikes - like 14 or 15 second 1/4 mile?

EAB
-Plastic vs Metal
January 19, 2010 06:54 AM
The comparison of plastic vs metal, well, plastic wins. It's lighter, doesn't ding or dent, and is, pound for pound, stronger. There are many cars these days that have plastic fenders and trim pieces. As far as the rest of it, I get a kick when a person calls a 750cc cruiser a chick bike and asks for a large cruiser as it's more manly. What the hell is manly about a bike that would get eaten alive by 10 year old CBR600? Oh, that's right, it's big, heavy, and hard to handle. That's manly. Hey, I like my bikes like my women, small, thin, and fast. I have no use for big, heavy, or hard to handle, in a bike or a woman.

Sport Man
-Cruising Around Town
January 19, 2010 05:00 AM
Who cares about performance on this type of bike. They are not made for any kind of racing or running fast on the twisty roads. They are great for riding around town or short trips. These type of bikes are dangerous when you take them on a twisty road and try and run with the sport touring and sport bikes. Check out the accident history at Deals Gap. So, taking performance out of the picture and just considering a motorcycle for cruising around town then I will take the Honda. I prefer the Honda quality, better all around motor and I prefer the shaft drive.

Tripper
-Shadow - better buy......
January 19, 2010 04:52 AM
I'll take the Honda. More reliable and it has shaft drive. They are close in price but not close in quality. The Harley has an out of date motor and poor ride quality. I do not think you would want to take any kind of a road trip on a 883. Your ass would give out after about 60 miles. Terrible riding bike plus you have to put up with the harley dealers.

Shadow_Man
-Shadow - Nice Bike
January 19, 2010 04:40 AM
No comparison between the Harley and the Honda. The Harley is way past its day. Old design and not reliable. The Honda is way ahead of the Harley. More reliable and I would pay a little more to have the Honda quality and reliability. I do not want the hassle of dealing with the Harley dealers. They always try and sell you all the Harley aftermarket stuff. The local Harley dealer has more floor area for the aftermarket crap than the area for bikes.

TIM
-RIDE
January 18, 2010 07:53 PM
WHATS THE BIG DEAL WITH FUEL INJ. YOU ASK - THE BIG DEAL IS THAT IT SHOULD OF HAD IT YEARS AGO - NO ADJUSTING - BETTER PERFORMANCE EVEN IF SLIGHT - BETTER THROTTLE RESPONSE - NO MIANT. WITH MILEAGE - NO DIRTY CARBS OR STUCK FLOATS - NO CHOKE - ETC ETC ETC... ONCE YOU SPEND 600.00 TO 900.00 ON CARB REPAIR YOU WILL LOVE FUEL INJ...

Jack
-Where's the big one?
January 18, 2010 07:46 PM
A 750? Wow, just what we needed, another chick bike...Where the hell is the 100 cubic inch model?

benroe
-comparison
January 18, 2010 07:42 PM
It looks like its time for a comparison between this ride and an 883 Iron. That is what it's going after anyway. I currently hate harley for dropping buell, but for others that don't, they deserve to know which one is better for the money.

Kandsen
-Same Money
January 18, 2010 07:27 PM
Same money as the Harley. Yeah for sure the Harley should cost LESS than the Honda. Come on, there is no comparison. Why would you spend the same money on a Harley 883 as you would for the new Phantom 750?

Whitmann
-Shadow
January 18, 2010 06:46 PM
Less motor in size but not much less in power which is what really matters. More plastic, so what that means less weight and unless people run a magnet on the bike who really would notice or care for that matter. As far as shaft drive goes it cost more to put shaft drive on a motorcycle than belt drive so the Sportster should cost less then. Plus, the Honda will last longer than the Sportster and it looks way better.

Hal
-Same money as a Harley!
January 18, 2010 05:36 PM
This Harley knock off costs the same as a Harley 883 Low! Except with the Honda you get more plastic, less motor and a shaft drive instead of smooth lash free belt drive.
Outstanding!

Holmes
-750
January 18, 2010 04:16 PM
I’m not sure why it is such a big deal the Shadow 750 is EFI. All its competitors (except v-star 650) have been EFI for several yrs now. The other makes didn’t really gain any extra power because of EFI either. EFI just helps the bike pass stricter emission regulation while helping to minimize “holes” in the power band.

I would put money on the fact the Shadow 750 does NOT “easily run” with 850-900cc machines because I have ridden many of both and the only 8-900cc bike the Shadow 750 keeps up with, barely, is the 883 Sportster. Plus, every test I ever read, with regards to the Shadow 750 and its 8-900cc competitors, the Honda came in last in HP and torque and acceleration times even the V-Star 650 is right there with the Honda. Although those Shadows were not EFI, EFI does not add significant HP or torque; it helps in metering more precise air/fuel ratios. Now, if…if Honda claimed that because of the EFI they can now use a more aggressive cam profile/timing then it is a different story but seeing as how the throttle body has stayed the same also (single 34 mm) no improvements in power can be realistically expected. If Honda did more than just swap out the carbs for EFI they would say so and comment in terms of percentage about how much power increase was achieved. Maybe your seat of the pants dyno needs some “recalibration”.

Morvegil
-NIghster Copy
January 18, 2010 01:57 PM
Hopefully its cheaper. About time Honda did a blackedout bike.

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